The Children's Year
by Allyson Kat
Summary: Madrigal Lestrange was always different. The granddaughter of the famed Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange goes to Hogwarts, nineteen years after the end of the war.
1. Chapter One

**My Harry Potter fic! 3 Love these kids!**

* * *

><p>People always stared at Septima Lestrange in the wizarding world. Most who had survived the conflict with Voldemort would remember her mother upon looking into her face. Not that she had even known her mother. She had been abandoned as a baby so her parents could join their cause. After she had been found to be a squib, she knew there was no hope of them returning for her. She didn't care, though, because by that point she hated her parents for what they were doing.<br>Yes, Septima Lestrange was used to being stared at when she returned to the wizarding world.

Her daughter Maddie, however, was not so accustomed. Septima could see Maddie's temper raging within her scrawny form as people shot her dirty looks from across the street. Maddie, like her mother's maternal cousin Nymphadora Tonks, was a metamorphmagus. Whenever she was angry, her hair turned lobster-red.

"Madrigal," Septima warned her daughter, touching her cheek gently. "Let's go get you a wand, alright, baby?" Maddie glowered at the starer for a moment longer before nodding resolutely. Her hair settled back to its normal turquoise shade. Other than the hair color most of the time, Maddie generally resembled her mother, with her big eyes and wildly curly and unmanageable mane of hair. And Septima generally resembled her mother, thus the unfortunate stares.

The bell above their heads tinkled as the two entered the wand shop. A white-blonde man and his equally blonde son were being helped. The man looked up and a look of shock crossed his face as he noticed the mother-daughter pair. Maddie's hair began to turn to its red again and Septima touched her daughter's shoulder.

"It's alright, Maddie," Septima whispered.

"No, it's not," Maddie spat. The man examined the two a little further.

"Excuse me," he finally broke the awkward quiet in the shop, "You aren't related to the Black family, are you?" Septima half-smiled.

"My name is Septima Lestrange," Septima introduced herself. "This is my daughter Madrigal."

"Lestrange?" The man's jaw dropped nearly to the ground as he looked the woman up and down. "I'm sorry, I thought you were-"

"A Black?" Septima asked. "My mother was Bellatrix Lestrange, Black before she got married."

"I never knew Bellatrix had any children," the man stood stunned. "We're cousins, then."

"I think she forgot about me," Septima laughed mirthlessly, "I don't practice magic."

"Oh," the man looked her up and down with finality. "I've been rude. My name is Draco Malfoy. That over there is Scorpius. Scor, are you done yet?" he turned to ask his son.

"These aren't working, dad!" The child moaned.

"We're just having a little trouble finding the right match for him," Mr. Ollivander explained. Maddie watched the spectacle with fascination. Mr. Ollivander would hand a wand to the boy, who would wave it about and hope something happened.

"Ah!" The man grinned as one of the wands shot colorful sparks. "This one seems to work for you. Twelve inches, cherry and dragon heartstring, moderately pliable." The boy was obviously delighted.

"It was nice to meet you, Septima," the blonde man nodded politely. "Hurry up, Scorpius! We have to get you fitted for robes!" Scorpius waved his wand about, completely self-satisfied, and smirked snottily at Maddie as he skipped out the door.

"Now how may I help you, dear?" The old man turned his attention to Septima and Maddie. He gulped and for an instant, Maddie saw fear in his eyes. She bit her tongue though she wanted so badly to ask why she was getting all these funny looks.

"My daughter needs a wand," Septima told him softly, gently, a reminder that she was not her mother.

"Of course." Ollivander regarded Madrigal, with her bright blue hair and mother's dark eyes. "What's your name, dear?"

"Maddie," Maddie answered simply.

"Alright, Maddie," Ollivander looked afraid to smile at her, but his eyes were soft, "Why don't you try this one out?" It took several tries before they found a wand that responded positively to Maddie. "Eleven inches, phoenix feather and pine, unbending." Ollivander shivered a little as Maddie grinned at the wand in her hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander!" She sang as she and her mother left the shop. Most parents would be sad to see their children go, or at least see the event as a bittersweet one, but Septima was glad to be sending Maddie away. Her daughter was such a good child, and she wasn't sure how with the situation at home. She hated seeing Maddie picked on by the other kids on their block. She hoped magical children would be much more accepting of Maddie's uniqueness than the close-minded brats in their apartment building or the haughty, privileged young heirs and heiresses they crossed paths with every once in a while.

After picking up books and a cauldron and picking up a set of secondhand robes, they passed the Magical Menagerie and, before Septima could stop her, Madrigal squealed and bolted for the door.

"Kittens, mum!" Maddie breathed. "They're like me!" By that, Maddie meant the kittens were all bright bubblegum colors: blue and pink and yellow and purple. She picked up a particularly fuzzy pink kitten and held it to her cheek. "Please?"

"We can't afford it, Maddie," huffed Septima, grabbing her daughter's wrist and pulling her away from the kittens.

"Aw, but mum-"

"Madrigal, we can't pay for it!" Septima glanced at her daughter, whose hair was fading quickly into the same black-brown as her own. "Listen, when I have enough money, I will pay for whatever pet- cat, owl, or otherwise- you want. Alright?" Maddie shrugged. "Good. Think about it, tomorrow you'll be at Hogwarts, making all sorts of new friends and learning not to cause so much trouble!" Maddie, despite herself, started smiling.


	2. Chapter Two

**The train ride to Hogwarts is always good character-bonding time. **

* * *

><p>"Bye, mum!" Two blonde boys chimed, hugging their mother.<p>

"Bye, boys," she kissed their heads. "Watch out for-"

"I know, mum!" One of them interrupted impatiently. "Wrackspurts! They'll make my brain go fuzzy! See you in herbology, Neville!" They waved to their stepfather and were off before their mother could get in another word or kiss.

"Bye, boys!" Their father yelled.

"See you, dad!" One of them waved behind them.

"Hello, Rolf," Luna was as warmhearted as always, despite her former relationship with Rolf. "How are things?"

"Things are alright," Rolf smiled, "I'm glad you're doing well, Luna." The two acknowledged one another and watched their kids excitedly board the train.

"Think they've had enough time?" The stepfather asked his blonde wife. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and nodded. The pair made their way for the train after the boys. Maddie watched the scene with fear and excitement.

"I just walked through a wall," she told her mother. Septima nodded.

"Do you have everything?" Septima checked Maddie over one last time. Maddie nodded and smiled. "Good luck, sweetie." The two embraced and Septima tugged playfully on Maddie's pink ponytail. "Now, go on! And send me an owl once you get there!"

"I will," Maddie nodded. "I'm going to go now." She took slow, measured steps towards the train. Septima caught Draco Malfoy's eye and waved. He caught her eye but focused on his son instead. As Maddie walked away, Septima shouted after her:

"Don't forget to take pictures, baby!"

If any child needed Hogwarts, it was Madrigal Lestrange.

Maddie boarded the train and gaped at the magic all around her. She darted into the closest compartment, where two other first-year students sat.

"I've been practicing!" A frizzy-haired redhead bragged. The boy looked at Maddie nervously. He had shaggy black hair and bright blue eyes and a freckly face.

"Hi," Maddie tried to smile. "May I sit with you?"

"Of course," the girl patted the seat next to her. "My name is Rose, and this is my cousin Albus."

"Hi," Albus coughed.

"My name is Madrigal," Maddie introduced herself, "but most just call me Maddie." As she settled into comfort with these other two students, her hair went from rosy pink to its usual turquoise.

"Your hair!" Albus stuttered in shock.

"I'm a..." Maddie blushed, her hair turning pink again in her embarrassment.

"She's a metamorphmagus!" Rose squealed excitedly. "That's such a fascinating talent to have!"

"Is there any room in your compartment?" The two blonde boys Maddie had noticed earlier stood in the doorway.

"Of course," Rose waved them in. "I'm Rose, this is my cousin Albus," she pointed at Albus, "and this is our friend Madrigal."

"Maddie," Maddie corrected.

"I think Madrigal is such a pretty name," Rose sighed, "Much nicer than Rose. Rose is so plain!"

"I'm Lysander," the first twin introduced himself, "and this is my brother, Lorcan. We're twins."

"I can tell," Maddie smiled. "Come sit with us!"

"I was just telling Al," Rose continued, "I've read bits and pieces of the books already. Dad told me that I needed to stop or I would wear out my brain before school started, but I've already got wingardium leviosa down. Almost."

"Hello," a voice interrupted the conversation. "There's one more seat in your compartment," the girl pointed, "Can I take it?"

"Sure!" Rose smiled, asserting herself as the boss of the compartment. "What's your name?"

"Cordelia," the girl sat down. She was very pale with short, wavy black hair. Her lips were very bright against her papery skin, and her eyes were a searing blue. She looked like Snow White to Maddie.

"I'm Rose," Maddie had heard this already before. It suddenly hit her that Rose had probably been rehearsing. "This is my cousin, Albus, and my friend Madrigal-"

"Maddie," Maddie interrupted.

"She's a metamorphmagus. And those are our friends, Lorcan and Lysander! They're twins!" The blonde boys looked up from a book they both leaned over, acknowledged Cordelia (one with a smile, one with a wave), and returned to their whispering over the book. Cordelia took the seat next to Maddie and they gave one another awkward smiles.

"Wait... metamorphmagus?" Lorcan looked up from his read. Lysander tore the book out of his brother's hands and continued reading. "Could you show me?" Maddie shrugged.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Um..." Lorcan thought for a second. "Could you turn your hair pink?"

"That's an easy one!" Maddie giggled. She wiggled her nose and held her breath for a minute and saw a flash of highlighter pink out of the corner of her eyes.

"Whoa!" Lorcan grinned. Cordelia looked shocked, and Rose and Albus were delighted. Lysander continued to read and Maddie couldn't help but feel a little bit deflated. Then Lorcan jabbed his twin brother in the ribs and pointed at Maddie. "Sander, look at her hair!" Lysander's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you-?"

"Didn't I say," Rose sighed pretentiously, "that she was a metamorphmagus?" Rose quickly turned to Maddie excitedly and pleaded, "Can you make your eyes change color?"

"What color?" Maddie answered candidly.

"Um... all of them!"

"That's a harder one..." Maddie scrunched up her nose again.

"Stop squinting," bossed Lysander, "we can't see your eyes!"

"Sorry," Maddie laughed, blinking her eyes wide open. Everybody gasped and Maddie was suddenly desperate to get a look at herself. "Does anybody have a mirror? How do I look?"

"Your eyes are rainbow!" Stuttered Cordelia, more than mildly freaked out at this point.

"Typical muggleborn," scoffed Lysander.

"Be nice!" Rose kicked him across the cabin. "There's nothing wrong with being muggleborn. My mum was!"

"Sorry, Cordelia," mumbled Lysander. "I was trying to be funny, you know."

"I was sort of a muggleborn," Maddie said, closing her eyes and willing her hair back to azure and her eyes back to black. "My mum was a squib and my birthdad was a muggle."

"Birthdad?"

"Mum doesn't let me call him daddy," Maddie murmured softly, suddenly embarrassed. "Just in case she meets someone who turns out to be my real daddy. I mean, he left us when I was still very little. I've only ever seen him a few times. He's not much, I'll tell you that." Maddie snorted, trying to lighten the now seriously damp mood with a giggle. "I'm glad I look like my mum."

"Even though that means you look like Bellatrix Lestrange?" Maddie tensed at the sound of Lysander's voice. It wasn't confrontational, however, just curious.

"What is the deal with everyone and my grandmother?" Maddie shouted, color rising in her cheeks and redness rising in her hair.

"Well, for one," Lorcan said matter-of-factly, "she was evil. Purely, terrifically, evil." Rose quivered.

"She tortured my mum." Rose admitted.

"Ours, too." Lorcan and Lysander nodded severely. Maddie suddenly felt bad for asking.

"You know what? Never mind me." She sighed. "I'm just curious, is all. My mum never told me anything and then we got that letter..."

"Hey boys," the man from the station knocked on the compartment.

"Hide!" Lysander squealed, "It's Neville!"

"I brought chocolate frogs," the voice said.

"Come in, Neville!" Lorcan and Lysander were suddenly significantly less embarrassed.

"Hello," Neville let himself into the compartment with a bag full of chocolate frogs. "Who are your friends, boys?"

"That's Albus," Lorcan pointed at Al, seated next to him.

"He's very shy," Lysander explained.

"That is Rose-"

"-Very smart."

"Cordelia-"

"-A muggleborn, but there's nothing wrong with that!"

"And that there's Madrigal-"

"Her hair and eyes change color! Watch, Neville! Show him, Madrigal!"

"Maddie!" Maddie corrected for what she hoped would be the last time.

"I'd like to see," Neville said with a twinkle in his eye. Maddie felt put on the spot in front of this adult, but she made that scrunchy-face that the five in the compartment were now familiar with. Her bluish-purple hair turned a bright, fire-engine red and her eyes morphed from black to spring-green.

"She looks like the mad hatter!" gasped Lysander. Maddie stuck out her tongue at him and willed her hair back to its normal turquoise. It was her favorite color. She liked her eyes dark, too, because when they were dark people told her how much she looked like her mom. This man called Neville applauded.

"You, miss Maddie, get a chocolate frog for that display," Neville handed her a box with a smirk on his face.

"Thanks, Neville!" She smiled.

"It's Professor Longbottom," Neville corrected softly. "These two are my stepsons." He explained for Lorcan and Lysander. Neville distributed the remainder of his candies among the six children in the compartment. Cordelia finally warmed up to the group and allowed them to call her Delia. Delia and Maddie both experienced textures and flavors of candy that they had never even imagined in their wildest dreams. Maddie discovered that she despised Bernie Botts' Every Flavor Beans, since she always ended up getting the gross ones when the six did a random pull. Though the kids who had grown up in the wizarding world assured Maddie that there were delicious flavors like whipped cream, green tea, maple syrup, papaya and, if you are in the right mood, spaghetti sauce, Maddie wasn't willing to take the risk after consuming a certain number of clay, earthworm, and booger flavored beans.

She was, however, enchanted by chocolate frogs, fizzing whizbees, chocoballs, and pepper imps. After the six had quickly devoured their candy stores, Lysander suggested they chase down the tea trolley and get fresh pumpkin juice to wash it all down (and perhaps reload their candy stores, as well). The suggestion was met with hearty agreement by everyone.


	3. A Note To My Beloved Readers

Hey guys! So I have been quite busy as of late and other fics have been demanding my attention, so I apologize for not updating quite as often as we'd all like. I can already see you freaking out. You think I'm going to say "I've decided to stop writing this." That is incorrect. But I am changing it. I've deleted the Oscar and Aviana chapters because I think it gets a little confusing and jumpy writing in all these POVs. I was partway through a Duncan POV chapter when I realized how silly it looked and that I didn't like the way it was turning out. SO this is my announcement that from here on out, it's going to be all Maddie. Of course, all the originals will still be there. She'll still be bitter rivals with Scorpius (future scene!) and good friends with Rose and Albus. Aviana will drift in and out of the story like the little waif she is, and all twelve of them will still be there, along with other friends and class members (I have a whole class list written up. Every name. Every family. Seriously.) I believe in the future, I will have other stories dedicated to the experiences of my silver, bronze, and iron trios. Until then, however, Madrigal reigns supreme.

I apologize if you liked the switching POVs. I'm working on my next chapter as we speak: Maddie gets sorted. Hope you look forward to it. Cheers, my darling readers!

-Ally


End file.
